Flashlight with interchangeable reflectors



Aug. 12, 1941. DElGKEN 2,251,929

FLASHLIGHT WITH INTERCHANGEABLE REFLECTORS Fil ed March 15, 1959INVENTOR. Z0075 14 fiE/UAEN BY w ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 12, 1941 OFFICE FLASHLIGHT WITH lNTERCHANG-EABLEREFLECTORS Louis A. Dcickcn, San Francisco, Calif.

Application March 15, 1939, Serial No. 262,003

3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in a flashlight withinterchangeable reflector, and it consists of the combinations,constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a flashlight in which a redreflector can besubstituted for the white one when it is desired to givea warning signal. To this end I provide the white reflector of theflashlight with a radial slot and form a red reflector in the shape of aspiral which can be moved through the slot to entirely cover the whitereflector when the head of the flashlight is rotated with respect to thecasing. A rotation of the parts in the opposite direction will move thered reflector into a position in back of the white one. The casing canbe held in one hand and the head of the flashlight in the other and thena relative rotation imparted to both the casing and the head foreffecting the change.

The device can be used in a number of places where a red danger signalis needed and also the device may be used in the ordinary manner as aflashlight. The interchangeable reflectors can be placed in the standardflashlight with but slight alterations being necessary. The device isextremely simple in construction.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a partof this application, in which Figure l is a side elevation of thedevice, portions being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure Figure 3 is a sectionalong the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the white reflector; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the red reflector.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a flashlight having a casingindicated generally at A and a head indicated generally at B. The casingA has a portion I provided with an annular groove 2 for rotatablyreceiving the flanged end 3 of a sleeve 4. The sleeve is threaded at 5for receiving a threaded rim 6 that holds a lens I in place.

I make use of a white reflector 8 of either a conical or parabolicshape, see Figure 4, and the reflector is provided with a flange 9 and adouble (Cl. Will-10.6)

track H). The flange 9 bears against the lens 1 and is provided withnotches II for receiving projections [2 carried by the outer end of thesleeve 4. The projections and notches connect the white reflector 8 tothe head B so that a rotation of the head with respect to the casing Awill rotate the reflector therewith. If desired, a band l3 may besecured to the sleeve 5 and overlie the grooved portion 2 so that arotation of the band with respect to the casing will Totate the head.Figure 4 shows the white reflector provided with a radially extendingslot l4 therein.

A red reflector, spiral in shape, is shown at [5 in Figure 5. The spiralof the conical red. reflector extends through slightly more than acomplete circle and the free end l5a is passed through the slot Hi sothat a rotation of the reflector, in a clockwise direction when lookingat Figure 2, will cause the entire red reflector to cover the whitereflecting surface. It will be noted from Figure 5 that the width of thered reflector is equal to the length of the slot 14 and since the slotis substantially coextensive with the width of the white reflector, itis possible to cause the red reflector to entirely cover the white one.

The inner edge [5b of the red reflector rides on the portion Illa of thedouble track Ill when the red reflector is disposed in back of the whiteone. As the red reflector is rotated to cover the white one, the edgel5?) will ride against the track portion lilb. The red reflector issecured to the casing A by a support I6 that extends from the back ofthe reflector I5 to the part I. A relative movement between the tworeflectors is caused when the head B is rotated with respect to thecasing A.

It is possible to use a white reflector with a number of radial slotsand provide a red reflector with a number of sectors movable through theslots. This will do away with the necessity of rotating the head througha complete revolution. The difficulty with this arrangement is thatlines of light will appear at the joining of adjacent sectors and thered beam is spotted. The single slot in the white reflector and a spiralred reflector extending through more than a complete circle is the bestarrangement.

The casing acts as a housing for a battery C and the rear of the casingis closed by means of a cover IT. A switch indicated generally at Dmoves a switch arm [8 down against a metallic bulb 2! The support ordisc I9 is insulated reflector is moved entirely in back of the white 7one and this prevents the red reflector from becoming disconnected fromthe white one. The red reflector will normally be disposed in back ofthe white one and the flashlight is usually used in this manner. Whenthe operator wishes to bring the red reflector into operative position,he merely rotates the head B with respect to the casing 'A as alreadystated, until the entire red reflector is moved in front of the whiteone.

, 7 While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, itshould be understood that various changes or modifications may be madewithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A color-changeable hand flashlight, comprising a pair of nestedreflectors of contrasting colors, one of the reflectors being dished andhaving a central opening and otherwise continuous excepting for a singleradial slot, the second reflector being contoured to generally match thedish-form of said one reflector and of spiral shape, said secondreflector also being continuous from end to end and having a centralopening, one of its free ends occupying the slot thus to stand in aposition of readiness for the ad- Vance of one reflector across the faceof the other reflector in response to a relative turning movement, abattery barrel having a support to which one of the reflectors isafiixed and having a lamp :bulb extended through the central openings inthe pair of reflectors, a lens head having the other reflector attachedthereto, and a swivel mount for the head upon the battery barrelproviding for a relative turning of the barrel and head to accomplishsaid movement of said one reflectorj 2 A color-changeable handflashlight comprisa pair of nested reflectors of contrasting colors,

one of the reflectors being dished and having a central opening andotherwise continuous excepting for a single radial slot, the secondreflector being contoured to generally match the dishform of said onereflector and of spiral shape, said second reflector also beingcontinuous from end to end and having a central opening, one of its freeends occupying the slot thus to stand in a position of readiness for theadvance of one reflector across the face of the other reflector inresponse to a relative turning movement, a battery barrel having asupport to which one of the reflectors is aflixed. and having a lampbulb extended through the central openings of the pair of reflectors, alens head having the other reflector attached thereto, a track aflixedto the margin of the central opening of one of the reflectors, saidtrack bounding said margin and extending both to the front and back ofthe respective reflector, said track having the margin of the centralopening of the other reflector riding thereupon, and a swivel mount forthe head upon the battery barrel providing for a relative turning of thebarrel and head to accomplish said movement of said one reflector.

3. A color-changeable hand flashlight, comprising a lens head includinga sleeve, a battery barrel including a terminal portion, a swivelconnection between the sleeve and said portion providing for relativeplane turning of the head and barrel, a lamp bulb affixed to the barrelcentrally of the terminal portion, extending beyond the confines thereofinto the confines of the head, a reflector of a chosen color and ofdished form applied to the head, having a central opening to accommodatethe lamp bulb and being continuous excepting for a single radial slot, asecond reflector of a contrasting color, being contoured to generallymatch the dish-form of the previous reflector, said second reflectoralso having a central opening to accommodate the lamp bulb, being acontinuous spiral from end to end, one 'free end occupying the slot andthus to stand in a position of readiness for the advance .of onereflector across the face of the other reflector, and a support by whichthe second and spiral reflector is connected with the terminal portionof the barrel, and means on the rim of the central, opening of one ofthe reflectors adapted to be ridden by the rim. of the central openingof the other reflector.

' LOUIS A. DEICKEN.

